In what appears to be premeditated murder, their father Paul Nothnagel hid behind a tree on the corner of Hennie Alberts and Berlandia Street on Thursday July 18, where he knew his ex-wife and children would pass on their way to the bus stop. He emptied the cartridge of his pistol into the car they were travelling in, killing his own two daughters and critically injuring their mother.
Paul was seen by eyewitnesses at the same stop street the day before the shooting, but missed them. He parked his car a block further down the road and walked to his destination. After he shot his family, he walked back to his car and shot himself.
Members of the public rushed the two children (Chané and Mischke) and the wife to the Union and Mulbarton Hospitals in an attempt to save their lives. CPF, SAPS Brackendowns, Fox Security and Proactive W.A.R Alert were all on the scene.
On June 16 Paul posted a comment on Facebook saying, “Sonder twyfel die gelukkigste pa in die wêreld, geseën met die greatste kids!! Dankie dankie dankie – lief julle BJA!!!”
Chané replied, “En ons het sonder twyfel die beste pa in die wereld! Ons kan ook net se dankie dankie dankie! Lief pappa ook BAIE!” Mischke also later replied, “Love yu tu.”
Ons het sonder twyfel die beste pa in die wereld! Ons kan ook net se dankie dankie dankie! Lief pappa ook BAIE
The shooting caused many heartaches and uproar in the community forcing family friends, colleagues and family members to give their comments. A family friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, said Linda and Paul had been divorced for almost a year, although they still lived together for a while.
The friend described Paul as being “highly selfish without regard for other’s well-being. He made irrational decisions without consulting Linda about them. In my honest opinion, Paul was nothing but a spoiled brat, who took matters into his own hands when it suited him and for his own gain.”
Others begged to differ, Belinda Goosen, a family friend and colleague, said she always thought that Paul Nothnagel was an awesome guy and a great father with a good heart.
Belinda and Paul used to work together at the Beeld newspaper and lost contact after a short while. They started communicating again over Facebook, “Paul was a man you could look up to. He loved his children,” said Belinda.
She also said that he did everything to the fullest and never lost his temper. Paul and Linda were only divorced a few months and Belinda described the news of the divorce as ‘shocking’.
According to Belinda, both Paul and Linda still saw the children, although it is unknown who the children lived with. “Paul was a very proud person and he was a person I felt privileged to work with. I don’t know what made him do what he did this morning,” Belinda said crying.
A family relative said, “Linda and her parents are still struggling to make sense of what happened. Linda’s parents had to identify their two granddaughters and they really cannot handle what they saw yet.”
Linda Nothnagel was moved to a general ward where she is recovering.
If anyone knows the family and would like to talk to the Alberton Record/looklocal for an in-depth article, please contact Monique Hefer 084 311 6654 or e-mail mhefer@caxton.co.za
